Meter box cover



Aug. 22, 1933. J, FORD METER Box COVER Filed June 5, 1931 Patented Aug. 22, 17933 UNITED STATES PAT NT, OFFICE tion of Indiana Application June 5, 1931. Serial No.` 542,250

4 claims. (C1. 137.443)' My invention is concerned with meter boxes of the type used to enclose and protect a water, gas, or similar meter installed below the ground level. Such boxes commonly comprise a bodyl 5 .portion which is sunk in the ground to enclose the meter, the upper end of the box being usually substantially flush with the ground andA having a removable cover. One such meter box, with its associated cover, is shown in Ford Patent No. 974,650.

VIt is the object of my invention to provide the box and cover with co-operating provisions which will give all the advantages of a hinge mounting for the cover, but which will permitthe cover to befremoved entirely from the box. A further object of my invention is to produce a box `and cover having the advantage of a hinge mounting and to so construct the box and -cover that no machining operationssuch as those necessary in the making of hinges are required, vand thereby to reduce the cost of the box and cover.

In carrying out my invention, I construct `the cover and the box-top so that they will interfit to close the opening in the box-top, and I provide the box-top with one or more fingers which extend inwardly below such opening. These ngers are disposed in such a position that when the cover is moved for a slight distance generally parallel to the plane of the box opening and then titled to- 0 ward raised position'theyrwill be engaged by the lower surface of the cover at an intermediateA point thereof and serve as a fulcrum about which thecover may be swung during a part of its open- 5 ing movement. The lingers are shaped, disposed,

the `cover whichmoves downwardly as the cover is opened and to engage such cover-portion only after the cover has passed the vertical `in its opening movement. l Y

The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention:v Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views of the top of the meter box, the cover being shown in raised position; Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the cover and top of the box with the V4cover in closed position; Fig. 4 is a fragmental plan of the cover and box-top, a portion of the v cover being broken away; and Fig. 5 is a fragmental vertical section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4. As indicated in thedrawing, the body 10 of the meter box is hollow and cylindrical, a box-top 11 resting on its upper end. The box-top, which is conveniently a casting, is preferably formed with an upwardly projecting central or neck portion 12 and a peripheral flange 13 which extends generally outward from the neck and is of av diameter orotherwise `fashioned to clear that portion of` the upper end of the box-body 10. l

The cover 14is of a diameter-to overlie and be Vsupported uponthe upperV end -of the neck 12. l Any of various meansmay be employed for lock- .such that it may rest upon andbe supportedby ing the cover in closed position, the means shown,- being that described inthe prior patent Iabove referred to. Withl such a cover-locking rneans, the neck 12 of the box-top is provided at its upper ,end withv an inwardly projecting ilange 16 -of triangular cross-section. The lower surface. of i the cover is formed to provide an outwardly 'and downwardly projecting lug 17 adapted to extendv beneaththe flange 16\ when the cover is closed. Opposite such lug there is mounted in thefcover Y a rotatable lockingmember 18 the lower end of which is generally conical and provided ,withr a helical groove. of cross-section corresponding to The uppersurface of the neckV 12 and flange 16 and the lower surfaceof the cover-14at the..l

periphery thereof are machined to provide smooth interengageable surfaces, such surfaces-being preferably conical. with a downwardly, extending annularv flange 19 The cover may be provided which ts fairly closely within the ilange, 16 to center the cover.

by way of example, asmy invention maypbe` f incorporated in meter boxes havngwdely vary- .v i

ing details of construction.

In embodying my invention. in a meter box `of the type described, the neckportion. 12-of the box-top is provided with one or more-inwardly projecting ngers20, here shown as twoin number, preferably integral with the box-top. These fingers join the neck 12below the flange v16 andextend generally inwardly and upwardly terminating in surfaces 21 which are located slightly below the lower surfaceof the cover 14 when the cover' is in closed position. 0n its rear surface, each of the fingers 20 may be provided witlra' rearwardly extendingA boss 22. The cover 14 is formed with a recess or groove 23 positioned to receive the bosses 22 when the cover is raised to the full-line position illustrated in Fig. 5. Preferably, the recess or groove 23 extends for substantially the complete circumference of the covler in order to provide relief for the machining of Vthe cover-edge.

The peculiar shape of the fingers 20 in plan, 1

, The above described parts are V,set forth merely t of eliminating the necessity of a core in forming the bosses 22.

two of thefingers 20fand'one1'ug 17, the cover beingvpositioned so that the lug 17? islocated'be- When the cover is closed, it occupies the position illustrated in Fig. 3, it being held Yin closed position by the locking element 18 and by the finger 17. To open the box, the locking element 18 is rotated, and the co-operation between the groove and its lower portion and the flange 16 serves to raise the cover at the front until the groove in the lower portion of the locking element 18 becomes disengaged from the flange 16. When this occurs, the cover may be moved forwardly until its rear edge clears the flange 16 at the back of the neck portion 12 of the boxtop. Preferably, the parts are soproportioned that the inner surface of the fiange 19, by engagement with the fingers 20, limits forward movement of the cover. If the cover is then tilted= `ceive the bosses 22; and after the cover is swung -vpast vertical position, the bottom ofthe groove 23v will strike the bossesv 22, and further movement of the cover will be limited. In open position, the cover rests upon the edges of the opening at two spaced points near the rear of the neck 12, the bosses 22are received in the groove 23, and the force of gravitytends to hold the cover'n the position illustrated in Fig. 5.

In the vicinity of the fingers 20, the flange 19 maybe relieved-as is clear from Fig. 5 inorder that it will not strike the fingers 20 and interfere with opening or closing of thev cover.

-To close the box, the cover is swung forwardlyffromr` the position illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and

40 3. It is then moved' rearwardly to engage the lug l'l' beneath the lflange 16, and the locking element' is then rotated, the helical groove in the lower end of the locking element co-operating with the fiange ltodraw the cover downwardly .andhold it in closed position. y

As indicated'inthedrawingY I prefer to employ tween the fingers; but this arrangement may be varied if desired. y

rllhe cover described has several advantages over othermeter-box covers of which I am aware.

VIt'can-readily be opened and closedv with but one hand.; fand when openedit occupies an approxi- ,mately vertical position supported: from the boxtop with theresult that it does not come in contact withdirt, leaves, or other foreign matter which otherwise might be draggedr into the box or between the mating surfaces of the box-top ,and-cover where they wouldv prevent complete 'seating ofthe cover. Through the use of myr invention, the cover possesses all the desirable features of a hinged cover and has the additional advantages that no machined hinge joint is necessary and that the cover can be readily removed from association with therbox-top when desired.

vI claim as my invention:

1. In a casing, a top having a circular opening in a generally horizontal plane, a removable cover for said opening, said top being provided around said opening with a circumferential seat for said cover, a pair of fingers extending into said openingk from the rear of said top below said seat, the inner ends of said fingers being disposed adjacent the lowerr surface of said cover and spaced inwardly from said seat, the upper surfaces of said fingers, between the finger-ends and the seat, being depressed below the cover-portions above them to permit the cover to be moved forwardly Afrom seated position and to provide clearance for the descending rear edge of the cover as the cover, after being moved forwardly from seated position, is swung upwardly about the lfinger-ends as pivots.

2. In a casing, a top having-an opening in a generally horizontal plane, a removable cover for said opening, said top being provided around said opening vwith a seat engaging said cover near the periphery thereof, and a pair of fingers rigid with said top and extending into said opening, the inner ends of said fingers being disposed between the front and rear limits of said seat and adjacent the lower surface of the seated cover and near, but spaced forwardly from, the rear of said opening to provide a pivotal support about which shaped in plan so that its width, measured parallel'to the axis of pivotal support provided by said fingers, decreases from such axis toward the rear of theopening, whereby upon forward movement of said cover the periphery thereof will clear that portion of the seat lying to the rear of the axis of pivotal support provided by said fingers, said fingers being so disposed and shaped as not to interfere with the descending rear edge of the cover as the cover, after being moved forwardly,'is swung upwardly about the finger-ends as pivots.

3. The'invention set forth in claim 2 with the addition that said cover is provided with a rearwardly extending lug between'said fingers adapted 'to engagefbeneath the edge of said opening when the cover is in place and with a locking device lower side have provisions interengageable when y the cover is at the limit of its opening movement for holding the cover in open position.

f JOHN L. FORD. 

